Cebu Province recognized for info initiatives

CEBU, Philippines — In its commitment to transparency and public access to information, the Cebu Provincial Government has been honored at the 2025 Freedom of Information (FOI) Awards for being among the newly-recognized local government units (LGUs).

Provincial Public Information Officer (PIO) Ainjeliz de la Torre Orong accepted the recognition on behalf of Governor Pamela Baricuatro during the ceremony held last November 28 in Manila.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO), through the FOI Program Management Office, organized the nationwide gathering of government transparency champions, agencies, and civic leaders.

Baricuatro issued Executive Order No. 3 on June 30, 2025, implementing the FOI Program across all provincial offices and units.

The EO ensures that every Filipino citizen may request information related to official records, policy research, and government transactions, consistent with exceptions under the law.

The PIO emphasized that the province’s FOI efforts aim to strengthen participatory democracy by giving the public clearer and easier access to government-held information.

Orong said the policy is a “game changer,” especially in a climate where public trust in government remains fragile.

She explained that FOI helps correct long-standing perceptions that government offices withhold information or operate without transparency.

"The intention really to Gov Pam nganong gi EO niya ang FOI is para ma-change na siya na idea or perception nga government is hiding something," said Orong.

This is part of the administration’s effort to rebuild trust and encourage citizen engagement.

The province is currently reviewing the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for its FOI system, with the draft already under evaluation by the legal office.

Once approved, the IRR will guide all provincial offices on handling information requests, particularly those involving sensitive data governed by privacy laws.

Under the EO, the FOI policy will apply uniformly to all provincial departments, hospitals, special units, and boards, without exception.

Along with this, Cebu Provincial Government also took additional steps to expand transparency through Executive Order No. 37, issued in July 2025.

The EO mandates the livestreaming of all Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) competitive bidding activities on the province’s official social media page.

This includes pre-procurement conferences, pre-bid meetings, bid openings, and other BAC sessions that involve public transactions.

Media outlets are likewise allowed to cover these proceedings, provided they do not interrupt the ongoing discussions.

The Provincial Board has also adopted livestreaming for its regular Monday sessions, including the ongoing budget deliberations for 2026.

The FOI Awards program recognizes agencies, LGUs, and individuals that continue to champion the public’s right to access information.

This year’s awards featured four categories, including the FOI Recognition Awards, Open and Transparent Local Governance Award, Plaque of Appreciation, and FOI Champion Category.

The ceremony also showcased winners of the 6th Multi-Arts Festival in celebration of the 2025 International Day for Universal Access to Information. – (FREEMAN)